Not Who I Am
by quarterhorseranch
Summary: What if...the Cars characters were turned into horses and thrown into our world?
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer:_ _I don't own Cars. I do not work at Pixar. Blah, blah..._

* * *

_What if..._the Cars characters were turned into horses and thrown into our world?

* * *

Lightning McQueen and his buddy, Mater, were driving towards Frank's field to do some tractor tipping one evening, when the first noticed something strange lying in a ditch beside the road. Mater, not noticing it, kept driving, and continued with his rambling story.

"An' then Frank came outta tha woods, honkin' and screamin' after me, until ah was sure that that was the day ah'd die..."

Lightning, however,stopped, turned, and stared the thing until he finally figured out what it was.

"Huh. It's a videotape." He couldn't find a label on it at first, but after looking more closely, he found one, though it confused him. "'Lightning's Race'," he read out loud. "Hey, Mater! Come look at this!"

"Huh?" Mater stopped, unaware that he'd been driving solo up until now. "Be right there, Bud!" He proceeded to reverse all the way back to Lightning.

When he saw what Lightning had found, he recognized it immediately. "That right there looks like one a' them videotapes!"

"Yeah. What I can't figure out is where it came from."

Mater peered at the label on it. "Wull maybe one a' yer fans dropped it."

Lightning realized that Mater was probably right. "Yeah, maybe they taped one of my races. We should probably find a way to watch it, so maybe we can see who it belongs to and return it."

"Wull Doc has a TV. We watch it an' see." He laughed at the rhyme he'd made. "We kin ask if we kin use his TV, anyhow."

So the two cars backtracked and went to Doc's place.

"Well," Doc said when they told him about it. "Flo borrowed my TV yesterday. It'll be over at her place."

Lightning inwardly groaned at having to go somewhere else, but he followed Doc to Flo's, with Mater tagging along beside him.

When they got there, Sheriff was watching a tireball game on the TV with Sarge and Fillmore.

"Come on!" the Sheriff complained, absorbed in the play before him. "You can do better than that!"

Sarge just rolled his eyes and Fillmore shot his friend a tranquil glance.

"Hey, Sheriff," Doc said, sidling up to him. "You think we could borrow my TV?"

"Huh?" The Sheriff glanced up, just now noticing his friend beside him. "Uhh...sure." He backed up and left Doc to it.

They all watched as Doc tried to play the tape. "Stupid thing," he muttered as he pushed the tape in with a tire after the finicky VCR spit it out. Finally, the tape went in and stayed in.

In the time it took him to do this, more cars had gathered around to watch, thanks to Mater.

"Hey, guess what me an' McQueen found! We found a videotape an' we don't know whut it is yet, so we's a-gonna play it an' find out!"

The TV screen went static, preparing to play the tape.

Lightning leaned forward eagerly.

But instead of seeing himself, he saw a race of a different kind.

Two odd creatures barreled down a dirt track, fighting for the lead. One had a blaze on it's face in the shape of a lightning-bolt.

There was an announcer's voice in the background. "And down the home stretch they come, and it's Ornery Storm in the lead! But Rocket Fire is coming up fast! And Rocket Fire has taken the lead! Ornery Storm doesn't seem too happy about that--his jockey has to restrain him from taking a chunk out of Rocket's hide! Ornery Storm is falling back...and it's Rocket Fire...Rocket Fire...Rocket Fire has won the race!"

The two horses gradually slowed, the one called Ornery Storm flipping his head, ears laid back.

"And Storm once again attempts to quarrel with Rocket. Yes, Robby King will have his work cut out for him if he continues to choose to ride this horse."

It showed the two lathered horses being sponged down and Rocket Fire in the winner's circle, his jockey and owner accepting the prize. As the trophy was handed off, the sun caught in one of it's corners and glinted in the chestnut colt's eyes. He spooked and almost reared. His owner, a man of considerable build but little patience, snapped the reins to bring him back to earth.

"And it seems that Rocket has plenty of energy, even after pulling off that win as he did."

Rocket stood still, though wide-eyed at all the commotion.

"What _is_ that?"

Everyone was broken from their trance by Lightning's question.

"Well, I'd reckon it's a form of horse racing," Doc replied. "Albeit a strange form."

"Huh. But what about those two-legged things?"

"I don't know about that one," Doc admitted.

"They seem a lot like us, though," Sally chipped in. "Minus the hood and tires."

Lightning, still thoroughly confused, simply shook his hood and drove away to his cone. "I'm goin' to bed."

I think I'll have an early night as well," Doc said, shutting off the TV and yawning.

The others agreed and soon everyone had gone to bed.

But none of them knew what would happen next.

* * *

Yay so that's the prologue!! I know it's a bit short, but oh well.:D Please R&R! I want to know what you think about my story so far...although nothing really has happened...(yet!)

My take on it is that there are animals in the Cars world that are similar to ours (the blue bugs flying around, the Sheriff's line 'the songdogs were howlin' at the moon' in the Ghostlight, etc.). So that's where Doc's line 'a form of horse racing' comes from.

I'll admit it was pretty hard to set this all up. But I did it.:) I hope that even people who aren't necessarily horse crazy will like this story, because, well...you'll find out!XD


	2. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: see prologue...the ponies and anybody else you don't immediately recognize are mine.:D_

* * *

When Lightning opened his eyes in the pasture that morning, he was immediately startled by his surroundings. He couldn't recall driving into this field. He didn't even recall there being a field like this anywhere near Radiator Springs.

Maybe he'd been sleep-driving again, something he'd been relentlessly teased for by Mater. He'd better get back to Radiator Springs before Sally or someone else worried.

He took one step forward and shied violently. Why did he have legs and hooves instead of tires?

He switched his tail nervously and then turned his head to stare at it, wide-eyed and nostrils flaring. _Okay, _he thought. _This is probably all just a dream, and I'll wake up soon. In a minute I'll be back in my cone, wondering why my dreams are so weird._

He turned his head back around and was startled to see a human standing at the fence several hundred yards away. He reared and backed up a few steps, then came back down to earth, snorting.

The man stared at him for a minute, then ran towards a large structure, shouting something Lightning could not understand.

_Uh-oh. I'm in trouble now._

The man returned shortly with another man, who looked slightly taller than the first. He carried some strips of leather—a _halter—_and a nylon lead rope.

Lightning trotted towards the far end of the field as the man opened the gate, keeping an eye on the strange human. _He's not actually going to try to put that on my _face_, is he?_

Then man with the halter started walking nonchalantly towards Lightning, who, not fooled, snorted loudly, flicked his ears back, and started to turn and run away. In his haste, he stumbled and almost fell. _Ow! This is definitely not a dream!_

The first man joined the other in the paddock, and now they both walked towards Lightning, while the horse got increasingly nervous.

_Oh, no, you don't!_

He trotted off again toward the far end of the field.

The men followed him until, finally, he had been backed into a corner, with all escape routes blocked.

_Stupid! I should have realized they were trying to corner me!_ Head high, he glanced all around, looking for a way out.

The man with the halter moved forward to try to halter the big chestnut Thoroughbred, whom he thought could bring a great profit, either in resale or in a reward by the horse's original owner.

Lightning had no 'owner,' and he was not at all interested in or willing to have one. He panicked and did the only thing he could think of. He spun around and kicked out violently, his aim missing the men but scattering them as they ducked to avoid the flying hooves. Lightning galloped through the opening they left and did not stop until he was well away from them and unable to be cornered again.

When he did stop he stood, ears pricked and nostrils flaring, watching the humans. _That was close. How dare they!_

One of the men gave the other a hand up, then helped him over to the gate. Yes, Lightning's hooves had missed their aim, but as he leaped aside, one of the men had fallen and twisted his ankle.

_Serves him right._

With a last glance towards the chestnut stallion, the first man helped the other towards the large building, which Lightning at further glance recognized as the barn.

As they disappeared, Lightning stared after them, then let out a loud snort. _Good riddance._

He then lowered his head and put back his ears, thinking. _So, I'm a horse. Now what?_

* * *

Red opened his eyes in another field, much like the one that Lightning had found himself in. It was adjacent to the edge of a forest, and on one side, there was a large fenced pasture and a good-sized red building.

_I wonder if that's a fire station. Maybe if I go in and ask, they can tell me where I am._ His shyness stopped him from acting on his plan, and he lowered his head meekly._ If only I had more confidence._

Something on the ground caught his eye—a mass of thick, white hair. He lifted a tire to to investigate it—at least, he _thought_ he had. When he had lifted his tire, the white hair had moved, too. He tried again with the same result.

Red put his ears back in frustration and repeated the movement several times, effectively pawing some of the soil under his feet. He unconsciously swished his tail, so when he felt a stinging sensation from behind and a soft '_whoosh_,' it startled him into clamping his tail and jumping forward several feet.

_What was that?_ He glanced behind him, and, seeing nothing big and scary, turned his head all the way around.

What Red saw, not behind him, but _about _him spooked him so badly that he burst into a sudden, frantic gallop. _I'M NOT A CAR ANYMORE! I'M A HORSE! _With head held high, eyes rolled back to show the whites, and hooves pounding at the ground, he was truly a fearsome sight as he raced across the field, straight for the pasture fence.

At the last moment, he stopped and veered away, narrowly missing crashing straight through the wood. He halted, sweating.

'_Aww, I thought he was gonna make a hole in the fence! Then we could all escape and we wouldn't have to work anymore!' _The voice came from behind the fence.

He cocked an ear, still blowing hard from his run.

'_Hey, you!'_

He turned his head towards the speaker.

'_Yeah, you in the red. Com'ere.'_

Red raised his head sharply. That was what Lightning had called him when the racecar had first come to Radiator Springs. He walked over to the fence, cautious but curious.

Standing behind it was the smallest horse Red had ever seen, even taking into account that the amount of horses he'd seen in his life was very small. A few feet behind the first pony were some others, just as small and all focused on Red. '_You look pretty strong. How's about helping us out?' _

Red, hesitating slightly, replied, '_What do you need?'_

'_We need you to scare someone.'_

Red gave a loud snort in surprise. '_Me, scary?'_

The pony gave a snort that mirrored Red's. '_Are you kidding? I think you could scare someone if you tried.'_

Still, Red hesitated._ 'Why do you want me scare them?'_

The pony, sensing Red's feelings, flattened his ears and lifted his head. '_You wouldn't think it was so low if you knew what they did to us!' _

_'Who is 'they'?' _

_'You know, them.' _

When Red continued to stare at him, not comprehending, the pony sighed. '_The humans. You know, those two-legged things with the clothes and the saddles.'_

Red snorted and backed up a step. So that must be what the strange things in the video were.

'_Yeah. So, ya see, we are in great need of your size and strength.' '_

_I guess I could try...'_ Red was still unsure.

'_That's the spirit! Now, come on in!'_

'_In?'_

'_Into the pasture. Just jump the fence. If you get a running start, that should do it.'_

Red was still a bit wary, but even so, he trotted back about a hundred yards, and then, turning around, cantered toward the wooden fence. When he got close enough, he pushed off with his hind legs and heaved his massive body over the boards with room to spare. He landed on his feet with a muffled thud that scattered the ponies.

'_So, what's your name?' _

Red, fearing that he'd be laughed at, paused before replying, '_Red.'_

The pony, however, did not laugh. '_Red. It suits you.'_

Then he turned to the others. '_This is Poppy, Dorito, Casper, and Jess.'_ He pointed his nose first to a palomino, then a chestnut and a bay, and finally, a fleabit grey mare who stood a little apart from the others. She seemed shyer—a kindred spirit.

Red said nothing but pricked his ears towards her.

She flicked her ears about and ducked her head slightly.

Feeling awkward, Red turned back to the first pony, who had not noticed their wordless exchange, as it had only taken up a few seconds.

'_And I'm Jasper.'_ The pony standing in front of him was a dark, dark bay color with a thin stripe lightning up his face like an exclamation mark. If he held his head high and pricked his ears forward proudly, he'd look like a perfect example of a show pony. Now, however, his ears were put back nastily as a matter of habit as he stared towards the road.

'_The humans are here.'_

Red threw up his head and snorted loudly, but not at the humans. But rather, at their mode of transportation.

The humans, who were now stopped in the parking lot, were getting out of _an automobile. _

_A car._

Like Red used to be.

None of the ponies seemed to think much of the old, faded beige Ford truck, but to Red, it was all he could think about. To make sure of what he was seeing, he asked Jasper about it. '_They drive _that _everywhere?' _

'_Oh, _that?_ I believe it's called a car._'

At Red's snort, Jasper made a sound of amusement. _'What, you never seen one before? Don't worry, it doesn't bite. It's not like it's _alive.'

At this, Red relaxed slightly. Maybe this car was different from the ones he knew.

'_Hey, big guy, here's your chance._'

One human was walking towards the pasture gate with something green in his hands. He untangled the straps, and Red could see it was meant to go around a horse's head.

'_When he gets over the fence, go!'_

The man hopped over the fence and started to walk into the pasture.

_'Now!'_

Red charged forward and then stopped, and, rocking back on his hindquarters, reared and pawed the sky, neighing loudly.

The man fell back and then, regaining his feet and sense, ran for the fence. He scrambled to get over the boards, and kept running all the way back to the barn.

_'You did it!'_ cheered Casper, while Dorito reared in celebration. The other ponies followed suit, congratulating Red and acting happy. Even shy Jess seemed as if she might burst into a gleeful gallop.

For the first time, Red believed he might actually have been accepted into this little herd.

Suddenly, all their heads snapped back to stare at the fence, where the man was back. This time, he carried a stick-like thing with a long piece of leather hanging off the end. He smacked it on the ground, and it made a loud popping sound, startling all the ponies into a gallop to the far fence line.

_'Run!' _cried Jess, fearing for Red.

But by now, the man was too close, and Red felt that his only option was to fight. He reared and frantically struck out with his feet, but it was useless against the stinging punishment of the whip.

Once, twice, three times it fell, raising large welts across Red's bay coat, before he finally gave up and bolted for the safety of the far end of the paddock. The man yelled something after him, which he wouldn't have understood even if he hadn't been in a blind panic.

When he finally stopped, he stood with head low and eyes tightly shut, shaking.

Only Jess was brave enough to step over to him, and then, with a gentle nudge, she stood beside him for the rest of the day. She never said a thing, but seemed to sense that her company was comfort enough.


	3. Chapter 2

Okay, so it's been a while since I've updated, sorry about that, I just can't seem to organize this story. Not sure how long/short this one is, but I hope it's longer than the last one. Once I get to the part with Doc, I hope they'll get longer.

And I am always open to suggestions, but I may not use them so don't get your hopes up.:P I am so And yes, Red's a Clyde.3 ^_^ I have big plans for him, don't you worry...*laughs hysterically* Poor big guy.

Thank you to all who reviewed.:D

_Disclaimer: as always, I don't own whatever Pixar owns. Which is basically Lightning and Luigi and Guido and the horse in the last part in this chapter. Not much, actually._

…........................................................

Lightning had been in the pasture for a total of three hours since the two men had left him alone, and that had given him time to think over all his options.

_I could jump the fence...but I don't know if I could clear the height. If I don't..._He shivered, imagining it.

_I could go through the gate, but only if the humans opened it. And they may not come back. I did scare them pretty badly I guess._

_Or wait, I _could_ try to open the gate myself. I dunno if it'd work, but I guess it's worth a try._

Lightning cantered towards the gate and slid to a stop right in front of it. He eyed the lock. It was the kind with a loop that went over an eye. It had another metal loop attached above the eye to prevent an ordinary horse from flipping the first loop off with its lips.

But Lightning was no ordinary horse.

He tried to reach his lip under the loop to take it off, and almost succeeded. That's when he realized that one of the men was walking outside the pasture. The man rushed forward, waving his arms and shouting.

Lightning spooked and jumped away from the gate. _I'd better be more careful if I want to get out. I can't let them see me doing that._

A second man, whom Lightning had never seen before, put his hand on the first man's arm and said something to him, which seemed to calm him slightly.

_The vet's right, _the first man thought. _It'll be easier if he's focused on something else. If that stallion sees us he's likely to drive us out of his field--again. _He grimaced, thinking of the last time he'd set foot in the pasture.

Lightning watched as both men walked off. When he was sure they were gone, he went back to work on the lock.

He didn't see the two men duck behind some bushes.

_I've almost got it...almost...argh! I dropped it. If only that guy hadn't been walking past the first time, I would've gotten it. Wait...there...a little bit more..._

The vet in the bushes aimed his dart gun.

_A little more..._

"Please hurry," begged the other man, casting an anxious glance at Lightning. "Before he gets out!"

_I've almost got it..._

"If he gets out he'll be gone like that!" pleaded the first man.

The vet gave him a look that said, _Be quiet and let me do my job._

_More..._

The vet squeezed the trigger.

_...there it goes!_

_ZWIP_

_OW! _Lightning threw up his head and took off running. _What was that? _It wasn't long before he began to tire.

_Why do I feel this tired already? I can usually go on for hours! _He had to slow to a labored trot, then a walk, and then he stopped altogether.

As he watched, the two men popped up from behind the row of bushes outside his pasture.

_What are _they _doing here again? Oh, no--if they try to catch me now, I can't fight back! _He could feel himself getting more and more drowsy.

The men pushed open the already-unlocked gate to the pasture and started jogging toward a subdued Lightning.

_Almost, _he thought bitterly. _I was almost free._

The vet, being the more fit of the two, reached Lightning first. He laid a kind hand on Lightning's shoulder. The horse only gave a weary snort and turned his head away.

The first man, huffing from the exertion, arrived at that moment. His eyes swept over the horse, admiring his excellent conformation. The stallion was built for speed. "Oh, man. This is the first time I've gotten a good look at him, you know?"

"Since you bought him and had him trailered here a couple of days ago?" the vet confirmed.

"Y-yeah, yeah. He was just too wild to approach and halter on my own."

"Which is why you called me."

"Yeah."

The vet raised an eyebrow. He had his own doubts about the man's story, but the horse had to come first. "The halter?"

The man was snapped out of his daze. "Oh, yeah." He handed it to the vet, who slipped it over Lightning's nose and buckled the strap behind his ears. Lightning had no strength to fight back.

The vet clipped the lead rope on. "We need to get him in a stall or wherever you are going to keep him quickly, before the sedative wears off. Stay on that side and steady him if he needs it." He then turned to Lightning and tugged gently on the lead rope. "Come on, boy, walk on."

Lightning intended to plant his feet and refuse to follow, but he found that he had no strength to do even that. He plodded after the vet, as that was the only thing he could do.

They walked up to the barn, where the vet led him into a stall. As he unclipped the lead rope from Lightning's halter, the other man asked, "Can you give me some more sedatives for him? Just in case I need them?"

The vet gave him a stern look. "It's not right to keep him drugged all day and all night instead of working to earn his trust and respect."

"Oh, no! No, no, I'd just use them if I needed them, like if there was some emergency or something."

The vet frowned. The man had a point. If there was an emergency where the horse had to be loaded quickly, giving him a sedative could save his life. Thought reluctant, the vet agreed. "All right. They're in my truck."

He left the stall with the other man, leaving Lightning to wonder what they had been talking about. _I wish I could understand them. I feel like they were talking about me; it was probably something important. I guess I'll just have to keep on my toes from now on._

He also wondered what the man would do with him, now that he had him confined.

He would soon find out.

….........................................................

Strolling (if a horse could stroll) along the side of the road, Luigi stopped and turned back to Guido, who was lagging behind.

The Miniature Horse pricked his small ears, and glanced up. "_Pit stop?"_ He asked in his Italian accent. He was tired—they'd walked a long way since that morning.

The sun glared bright overhead.

"_Okay,"_ Luigi replied. He was footsore, as well. He glanced down at his aching hooves. _"These things don't get so much mileage as the whitewalls, yeah?" _he continued, in Italian.

Guido replied back, in Italian, but Luigi did not pay attention. He pricked his ears down the road, hearing a rumbling sound coming towards them. _"Here comes another one of those cars," _he said, bumping Guido back onto the grass.

The tractor-trailer bore down on them, honking its horn to make sure they didn't come back into the road. It passed safely, stirring up a wind in its wake. "_Hey! Stop-a speeding!" _he neighed angrily after it. He could read signs perfectly well, and while the speed limit for this road was something like 45 mph, the truck had been going more like sixty. _If only the Sheriff were around,_ he thought.

He missed the black-and-white police car. In truth, he even missed Lizzie. He had no clue where he and Guido were, and only hoped that following the road would lead them somewhere.

He was fully aware that they were horses, and as the tractor-trailer and every other motor vehicle they saw did not have eyes, he thought it was safe to assume that they were no longer on the same continent. Both he and Guido had seen some pretty strange things their first few days in America, so they were able to take this new development somewhat in stride. That said, it wasn't as if Luigi wasn't close to totally losing it.

Guido followed where his friend lead, but Luigi wasn't sure if he could lead them the right way.

Another car passed them by, and this one slowed down as it approached and gave them a wide berth. It was a Volvo station wagon, and if he looked closely through the darkened windows, Luigi could see some human kids gaping at him. The woman driving spoke to her children briefly and the car pulled away.

Luigi blew out a breath. _Let's get off the side of the road. This is making me nervous..._

…...........................................................

A small office. A woman sitting at a cluttered desk. The pages of the animal calendar on the wall shifted slightly as the fan in the corner rotated to blow on them.

The phone rang, and the woman tore her eyes from the computer screen to answer it.

"Pleasant Valley Animal Shelter, how can I help you?"

"Hi, I was just on Route 49, and my kids and I saw two ponies wandering by the road. That's bad, isn't it?"

The woman's head snapped up."Yes, it most definitely is. Can you tell me where you were, approximately, when you saw them?"

"Umm…you know the Mickey's Burgers place? It was about a mile down the road from that."

The woman opened a new window on the computer, and searched for the location. "Okay, was it a mile towards Lincoln Road or a mile towards Highway nine?"

"Towards Highway nine."

"Okay, thanks. Have a nice day."

The woman cradled the phone for a second, then picked it back up again and dialed a number. She'd make sure that someone was out to rescue those horses by nightfall.

…...........................................................

Horses. Everywhere.

Crammed together in small pens, with others that were strangers to them, they had lost their freedom.

Head high, he looked around for an escape, but found on all sides hard, metal bars that glinted in the sun.

He'd been run hard to get here, and just as he'd realized that it was all a trap, he'd been swept along with the others, with no hope of doubling back.

He was caught.

…..................................................................

I love cliffhangers, don't you?:D Please R&R! The R being the most important part. Which, R, you say? ...I don't really know, actually. Just review, *sticks finger in nutella jar...licks finger Mmmm....that's good...

I was actually wondering whether to classify this story as AU, because it kind of IS, past the first chapter...whatever.*rolls eyes comically*


	4. Chapter 3

Well, that was another long wait for ya'll. Sorry...school does come first, though.(shrugs) But I'm finally giving up and posting what I've been reluctant to post for a while because of the timing of it in the story...but now I've given up. (rolls eyes) Have fun.

Also sorry if the spacing is funny in this chapter...not sure if it will be or not.

_Disclaimer: Anything Pixar made is Pixar's. Anything I made is mine. But it's all God's in the end, so...all credit to him!(laughs)_

_

* * *

_

Lightning stayed in his stall for hours, annoyed but helpless to do anything. The sedative had worn off long before. Confinement was torturous, and by now he was not only bored, but lonely. There were no openings in the boards of his stall so that he could see the horses on either side of him, and the horses across the barn aisle did not seem to want to pay him any mind.

Restless, he stuck his head out the stall door. Even that did not give him much freedom, and he shifted his weight from hoof to hoof. Then a movement from the left caught his eye. The horse in the stall beside him was looking out of his stall door.

He was a big black, and he flattened his ears when he saw the new horse. '_What are you lookin' at?'_

Lightning blinked. He had no answer for that. He put his ears back slightly.

'_I don't like newbies.' _The black horse bared his teeth. '_Think they own the place.'_

Lightning was about to protest, but the big black cut him off with a hoof connecting with the shared wall between them.

_SLAM!_

The chestnut snorted and jumped away.

_SLAM!_

Seeing that he had succeeded in scaring the other horse, the black didn't let up one bit.

_SLAM!_

"TIGER!" the man yelled from the tack room. "QUIT IT!"

The black grudgingly put his hoof down. He gave Lightning one more pig-eyed look. '_Don't bother me again.' _He then withdrew into his stall.

And Lightning was left staring at the empty space where the black's head had just been.

* * *

'_Doc!_'

The dozing Quarter Horse only grunted and swished his tail.

'_Hey, Doc!_' The aged black Morgan finally poked him with her nose.

He startled awake. '_Huh?'_

_'Look at this! I can neigh!'_ With that, she let loose one that echoed across the whole county, or so it seemed to Doc, who was not fully awake. _'I feel as young as I was near about thirty years ago! You're not lookin' so bad yourself!'_

Doc shook his mane, trying to make some sense out of Lizzie's jabbering. It had to be Lizzie; no one else he knew talked that much.

_Wait. _His eyes widened as he took in that bit of information. Lizzie was a horse. It would stand to reason that he was, too. He lowered his head to sniff at one dark hoof. _This is incredible. 'Lizzie, do you remember what you did last night, before we all went to bed?'_ This was a long shot, he knew. Lizzie's memory was not always the best.

_'Well, of course I do!'_

_You do?_

_'We all watched something on the radio, that thing hotrod found! It was about some strange creature I'd never seen before...a horse, that's it! And now I am a horse. You know what Stanley used to say? He used to say you can be anything you want, once you put your mind to it. I believed him then, that old two-cylinder, but this is crazy! What I wouldn't do to have him here to see me now...'_

Then she had a spark of rare intuition. _'Hey, I know what's goin' on! That thing we watched turned us into horses!'_

_'Yep,'_ replied Doc, who'd just come to the same conclusion. _'That's what musta happened, though I don't know why. I'm gonna kill that kid,'_ he muttered more softly.

_When I find him, that is. _Doc had absolutely no idea where he and Lizzie were. They were in a fenced, dirt ring that was only big enough to hold three small jumps. _A riding ring?_

_'Aww, it's not hotrod's fault,'_ Lizzie said in her ambling voice.

Doc was startled, as he hadn't expected Lizzie to hear that last part. She was usually hard of hearing.

_'He didn't know what was gonna happen!'_ she continued cheerfully.

_'Yeah, Lizzie, I guess you're right,' _Doc said absentmindedly, staring off into the distance. With Lizzie, it was best to just agree.

And then he noticed they were not alone.

A woman was outside the fence around the small ring they were in. She had something-a halter!-hanging off her arm. She opened the gate and entered, keeping a sharp eye on the two horses.

_She's gonna try to halter us, that's for sure. _But as he didn't know what else the woman had in mind, he decided to be cautious. He moved in front of Lizzie and snorted, staring at the human. _'Don't come any closer,'_ Doc warned.

But the human ignored him and walked forward.

_Why does she ignore me? Doesn't she know I could easily trample her? Or wait...maybe she just can't understand me. Can horses talk to humans?_

Lizzie watched the human with interest. _'What's she going to do, Doc?'_

Doc flicked his ears back. '_I don't know. Stay close.'_ He stood stock-still as the woman came up to him and only twitched his skin when she tossed the lead rope over his withers. But when she reached for his head, he reflexively tensed and flipped it out of reach.

The woman said something in a sharp voice and smacked him with the end of the lead rope. He started and jumped to the side.

_What was that for?_

The woman twirled the lead rope at him, sending him trotting off with Lizzie close behind. The human ran after him, shouting, and so he broke into a canter, hoping to leave her behind

He didn't see the jump until it was right in front of him, but even so he jumped it easily while Lizzie swerved and doubled back the way she'd come.

The woman stopped and, breathing hard, looked at him speculatively. Then she changed tactics. Doubling back to the gate, she opened it partway. Then she chased him out of the ring.

_Finally, freedom! _Then Doc stopped and turned back. Something had occurred to him. _Wait...what about Lizzie?_

The woman was at the gate, latching it closed. Then she turned and swung the rope at him again, trying to drive him away from the pasture.

_She'll be back for Lizzie once she takes me where she wants me, _Doc thought. He neighed an order to Lizzie. '_If she tries to halter you, don't let her! Once you're out of the ring, come and find me._' Then the rope smacked his rump and he jumped away.

With this, the woman resumed chasing him.

Doc knew very well that he was being herded. _I figure if she tries to force me somewhere I don't like, I'll just double back. As long as I'm out, I might as well get the configuration of this place. _He trotted by a pasture where some other horses were grazing and then into a barn.

The woman sighed in relief and quickly closed the barn doors behind her. _Finally, I've got him! That horse is a good jumper but he'll have to be taught decent manners before I can sell him. Now, to get him locked in a stall._

Then, she watched in amazement as the dark brown horse chose a stall of his own accord and walked into it. It was the only one that bordered another empty stall.

_I don't have to overpower her. I can just out-think her._

The woman rushed to shut and lock the stable door behind him. Then, satisfied, she walked back to the ring to get the black mare, who she was sure would be much easier to catch.

* * *

Okay. Hopefully the next chapter will be up real, real soon. It's easier, because I have a lot to go in it, so I don't have to write anything different for a while...whatever, I should probably just cut to the 'please review' part before I give anything away...There. There it was!...

Wow my computer has something against the smilie 'XD' or something...


	5. Chapter 4

Told ya it'd be up soon.^_^ Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story!

_Disclaimer: see chapter 3_

…_..._

I stared out the window of the car, trying to zone out, to be anywhere but here. We passed another shopping center; I imagined a horse running alongside our sedan. My escape-just out of reach.

My father, who was driving, tried to coax me into talking. "So, Amanda, what kind of horse do you want?"

"A classy pony with a talent for jumping, who can take me to the top of the Junior jumpers division," I recited, biting my tongue to keep from saying what I really wanted to say. This was my father's dream, not mine, and my mother went along because she liked the idea of her daughter sitting on a pony, winning ribbons.

Nothing against ponies; in my opinion everyone should ride a pony at least once in their life. The fat pony I'd ridden in the riding lessons I'd taken had taught me everything I knew, and had had fun doing it.

But I knew what kind of pony my dad had in mind.

Personally, I'd rather have a horse I could go places with, not just trot around a ring with. The breeding didn't matter (even though I was partial to Quarter Horses); what mattered was its attitude.

What I really, _really _wanted to do was try riding Western. I currently took Hunt Seat lessons, bought and paid for by my parents.

A couple months ago I'd taken a risk and asked my parents if I could switch to Western lessons, and found out exactly what my father thought about the Western discipline, i.e., not very highly.

"Amanda," he'd said, shaking his head. "I'd hoped you'd stay away from things like that. The English discipline requires a great deal of precision and skill to master. Riding around with loose reins and flapping stirrups, however, does not. Aim for the best, my dear, and that's what you will get."

So I'd never mentioned it again, fearing another lecture. I hadn't even bothered to voice my opinion on the type of horse I wanted when it came up in our discussion.

The one leading up to today. We were on our way to a sale and boarding barn famous in the area for selling top-quality show horses. I would enjoy meeting different horses who were all candidates for being my own.

I would not enjoy my parents trying to help me decide which one to get.

Hence my reluctant participation.

"You know, I think you're ready to choose a horse by yourself, Amanda. You know what type of horse we're looking for."

"But-" That was my mom.

"It's time we let her make her own decisions. I know you want to be a part of this, but she knows what to do, don't you Amanda?"

My heart lifted for the smallest instant, before my mind told it what he meant.

I was trusted to choose my own horse all right; the horse that fit the description my parents had chosen. I was limited to looking at the classy jumper ponies.

"So what we'll do is drop you off at the stables, and let you look around until, say, about five. Then we'll come back to get you, and whichever horse you choose, that's the one you get."

This was even worse. I'd be free to look at any horse I wanted, because there'd be no one to steer me away from certain ones that wouldn't fit onto my parents' dream, but only free to buy the ones that did.

But wait...

"Any horse I want?" I confirmed.

"Any horse you want," my dad assured.

This was a slim chance. My dad hadn't said, 'Any horse, with certain restrictions.' He'd said, "Any horse."

Now, I knew what he meant. But what he'd meant and what he'd said were two different things.

And my dad valued promises.

"Promise?"

"Promise." he agreed. "If you come back with a horse that can jump."

My hopes plummeted. There was that restriction again. I was doomed.

I spent the rest of the car ride staring at my hands. I didn't care about going to look for a horse anymore.

...

We arrived at Pleasant Valley Farms at two o'clock. I got out of the car reluctantly and followed my father into the main barn. If I'd been braver I'd probably have stayed in the car, but obedience overruled will in my mind.

As always.

My father had found the stable manager, a woman with a commanding look in her eye, and was now introducing us.

"This is Amanda. She's my daughter, and she's looking for a good pony to jump with."

The look the woman gave my father was bored, like she'd seen all this before.

"How old is your daughter?"

"Thirteen."

_Thirteen? _the manager thought. _She's old enough to have a bigger horse. She must be some spoiled rich kid who doesn't know a thing about keeping a horse. Oh well, as long as her daddy pays well..._

"And how much are you willing to pay to get her a top-notch horse?" The woman humored Amanda's father. At least for now.

"As much as it takes."

My father was not especially hurting for cash.

The woman brightened. "I will be happy to help her find a suitable horse, Mr..."

"Reeves. Daniel Reeves. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment to keep."

And then the real reason for his apparent faith in my horse-picking skills hit me. He had no faith in me at all. He just had something else more important to do. The realization stung, even though I hadn't wanted him with me in the first place.

Then my father turned to me. "Have fun, Amanda, and pick a good one!"

"Okay, Dad," I said automatically.

My father walked out of the barn and got into the car. And then he drove away.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you to it," the manager said. I suspected she really didn't want to have to watch me every second.

"Okay," I said.

"Don't take a horse out of its stall without my permission," she said.

"Okay," I said.

She shrugged. "Call me if you need anything." Then she went into her office and closed the door.

"Okay," I whispered, then strode off down the barn aisle like I knew what I was doing.

I didn't. I had no idea where to even begin. I thought about going into one of the ponies' stalls and crying on its neck. If it wouldn't tolerate that, I would know it wasn't going to be the one I was looking for.

I decided against it, collected myself, and looked into the first stall. It held a light gray pony, probably some type of Welsh. Maybe a Cob. _Just the kind my father would want me to choose, _I thought ruefully. He stretched out his neck and flared his nostrils, smelling me. I couldn't help but smile. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

I looked at the nameplate on his halter. 'Banbury,' it said in plain letters. Not a bad name, either. I'd come back to him.

I moved to the next stall. In it was a bay Shetland Pony, with smoky black shading on his legs. The look in his eyes reminded me of Guido, a character in Cars, which was my favorite movie. I wasn't all that into real cars, but Pixar's movie had nevertheless won me over.

The pony was indifferent to my presence as he worked his way through a pile of hay. _Oh well, _I thought. _He's too small for me anyway._

I went on to the next stall, and was nearly reduced to tears by what I saw.

In the stall was a dark, dark brown Quarter Horse. He pricked his ears forward at me and met my eyes.

Just the horse I'd dreamed of having. And now it was impossible.

I fumbled with the bolt on the stall and entered it. The horse backed up a couple of steps, cautious. I didn't blame him. I must've been a sight to see.

I closed the door and slid down against it until I was sitting in the straw. The horse lowered his head and sniffed at me.

...

Doc lowered his head and sniffed at the girl. She waved her hand at his face and he jerked his head away.

_What's the matter with her? She's close to tears, I can see that. I wish horses could talk to humans._

It was true that Doc could not talk to the stable manager. But somehow he sensed something different, something more open about this girl. Like she was in easy reach.

_'Why does this have to be so hard? Why can't someone just accept me for who I am? Why is there no one here that cares?'_

The voice rang in his head and he jumped to the side. Could it have been the girl?Doc lowered his head again to the girl's level.

_Impossible. But yet..._

_..._

I sat on the floor, inwardly screaming. The horse seemed to sense it and dropped his head close to me again. He was so close, I could've reached out and touched him.

My dream, so close, but yet so far away.

All I had to do was flip my hand towards his face like I was going to hit him, and he would spook. He would prance off, and I would never see him again.

I would be free of imagining him as mine, because I'd know that I'd never see him again. He'd never come near me, not after I'd threatened to hit him twice.

And the horse still stared at me. I raised my head to look up at him, my vision blurred by tears. Could I do it?

...

Doc stared at the girl. She looked up at him and met his gaze with tear-filled eyes. He made a decision, and took a chance.

_'I'm here.'_

...

_'I'm here.'_

I jerked my head up, startled. The words sounded in my head, as clear as if they'd been spoken.

But that was impossible. There was no one here but the horse.

_'What's the matter, kid?'_

I stared at the horse. He stared back, eyes filled with such intelligence that I couldn't deny it. He was the one who had spoken to me.

_'Hello?' _I attempted to reply.

_'Hey, there,'_ came the response immediately.

I was stunned, for the moment forgetting the tears drying on my cheeks. _'I didn't know humans could talk to horses.'_

_'I didn't know horses could talk to humans,'_ the Quarter Horse replied with a touch of amusement._ 'Yet here we are, having a conversation.'_

Something in his tone, or maybe his expression, was familiar. I tried to remember._ 'Have I met you before?'_

The horse chuckled. _'I don't believe so.'_

But there was still something bugging me. _'What's your name? Maybe that'll help me remember.'_

The horse seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if weighing something in his mind._ 'Doc,'_ he said finally. _'Doc Hudson.'_

I froze in shock; everything had fallen into place._ 'That's it. You're from Cars!'_

The horse drew back. _'And why would you say that?'_

_'It's a movie-well, you wouldn't know about it, of course, because it probably only exists in the human world... But how did you get to be a horse?'_

_'Hold on a second. Explain that again. So I'm in a movie?'_

_'Yeah... How can I explain this to you?' _I thought for a minute. _'OH!' _I dug in the pocket of my jeans, looking for something in particular. _'Here it is!'_ I held it up for him to see.

_'It's an advertisement,_' the horse said in realization. _'That's Lightning! No doubt about that. I can't read what it says, though.'_

_'It says, 'Join Lightning McQueen as he takes a road trip on Route 66 that will change his life forever.''_

_'Huh,'_ the horse said. _'That's what happened, all right. Yeah, it looks like I'm from that movie.'_

I grinned. _'You're a movie star!'_

Doc shook his mane. _'It sounds better when you say it.'_

_'So, how did you get to be a horse?'_

He gave me a knowing look. _'I'll tell you that if you'll tell me why you were crying.'_

_'Oh. That.'_ I felt myself being dragged back into reality. I took a deep breath and began. _'I came here to buy a horse. Well, to buy a horse that my parents wanted me to buy.'_ I grimaced. _'Their vision of me on a horse isn't the same as mine.'_

I took a moment to steady myself._ 'They wanted me to get a cute little pony I could take to the jumper ring. __But that's not what I see myself doing._

_'It's like I'm trapped in someone else's life,'_ I added, glad to get it all out. _'And I can't see any way out.'_ I stopped. _'Well, that's me, really. Your turn.'_ I wanted badly to shift attention off of me.

_'I suppose it is,'_ Doc looked away and sighed. _'It must have all started when the rookie-Lightning-found a videotape that said, 'Lightning's Race' on it. He figured some fan had dropped it, and so he brought it to town and we played it on the TV. It showed a horse race, and one of the horses was a red chestnut with a lightning-bolt mark on its face._

_'Now that I think about it, it must have been what he'd look like as a horse. But at that time, none of us really thought much of it. We went to bed, and I woke up like this. I assume the rest of us got turned into horses as well, though the only proof I have of it is that that's Lizzie in the next stall over.'_ He pointed with his nose to the next stall, one I hadn't gotten to yet.

_'Really?'_ I asked, then stood up and looked into the stall he'd indicated. In it was an older-looking mare. She was dozing in the corner, but from what I could see, she looked like a Morgan. It had to be Lizzie. _'That's pretty bizarre.'_

_'It is,' _he agreed. _'I don't know how I'll find all the others, and find a way to get home.'_

_'I'll help you,_' I said. I had to, it wasn't an option to just go on with my life now. I had to do something to help.

_'Thanks, kid,'_ Doc said and nudged my knee. _'Now what can I do to help _you?'

_'I don't know,'_ I admitted. _'My dad promised me he'd get me any horse I wanted that could jump.'_

_'Well, I can jump.'_

_'Yeah, but he means is...'_ Then it dawned on me. '_But he promised me something different, didn't he? As long as I can convince him you can jump, I'm home free! My father's not one to go back on his word.'_

I felt a release, but I was not completely free yet. _'It's a long shot, though. He won't be happy. He wants to show my aunt that I can ride with the best of them. She gave me a barn, can you believe that? She wants me to fill it with the horses of my dreams._

_'My dad doesn't really think I'm up to the task, though, and he seems to see it as a personal challenge to his pride. Like if I fail, he'll never live it down. So he tells me which horses he wants me to buy. This trip is the search for the first one: a good jumper pony.'_

Doc looked at me, waiting for me to finish.

_'But if I can buy you and Lizzie, both our problems will be solved! Well, at least, on their way to being solved.'_ Then I fell silent. I knew I talked a lot, especially when I was being hysterical, which was pretty close to what I was feeling right now.

But, luckily, Doc seemed to understand. _'All right, kid, let's get out of here!'_ He moved towards the stall door and stuck his head out the opening, waiting for me to open the door. I sighed in relief. All of my problems seemed to be over, for now.

Then something occurred to me.

I hesitated. _'Wait, Doc.'_

He turned back to me. _'What is it, kid? I thought you said we could get out of here.'_

_'My parents won't buy you and Lizzie unless I can ride you both.'_

Doc made a fake sound of annoyance._ 'Isn't me not trampling you enough?'_

I gave a small smile, because I knew that's what he was aiming for.

_'I know. You're behaving yourself like an old school horse, and I appreciate it. But the one thing my parents said before they dropped me off here was that if I didn't at least 'put it through its paces,''_ I put audible quotation marks at the end, wincing. _'then they wouldn't buy me the horse.'_ I bit my lip, hoping I wouldn't offend him. _'We could try it. I won't pull on your mouth.'_

Doc surprised me by agreeing. _'If we must, we must. Go get a saddle, kid, and I'll show you what riding a Quarter Horse is like.'_

I grinned, overwhelmed by relief and rushed out of the stall.

"Wait! Where are you going?" the stable manager yelled after me. Didn't she know enough not to yell around horses?

"The tack room! What tack can I use for D-err, Midnight?" That had been the name on his stall door, written hurriedly on a piece of duct tape.

"Okay," she muttered. "But I can't be responsible for what happens..." She followed me into the tack room. "We've got some spare tack. That saddle...and that bridle." She pointed first to a well-used English saddle, then to a Western bridle with a curb bit.

"They don't match," I said flatly.

"No, but they'll do," she said, beginning to get annoyed with me. "This isn't a saddlery, you know." Now she was being downright rude. "When you get on him, show him who's boss. Don't act like a little girl. 'Oh, he's so pretty, mommy can I buy him?' The real world's much different. The sooner you learn that, the better."

Now she was patronizing and stereotyping me. I hated it, but decided to ignore it.

I walked back to Doc's stall with the saddle over one arm and the bridle hanging off my other shoulder. Doc watched with interest as I opened the stall door and tried to heft the saddle onto it. I failed, dropping the saddle in a heap on the floor.

_'You know what?'_ I said, annoyed at my own lack of skill.

_'What?_' Doc responded, though my question hadn't really required an answer. There was a look of mild amusement on his face. He probably thought this was hilariously funny.

_'Saddle first._' I slung the bridle over the door and picked up the saddle. Then I stood uncertain, faced with the new problem of the height of Doc's back.

_'I'd try and help you but I don't think my teeth would reach up there. A bucket might help,'_ he suggested.

_'Good idea.'_ I went and found one, then brought it back to the stall and used it to stand on while settling the saddle on his back. Then I shoved the bucket aside while I reached under his barrel for the girth.

_'I'm just gonna fasten it loosely for now. I'll finish tightening it later.'_ I then reached for the bridle. I held it up, trying to discern which end was which.

_'Just looks like a bunch of straps to me.'_

_'That's why I'm the one that's gonna put it on you.'_ In a way, I was glad the bridle was a simple split-ear one with no noseband. It made my job easier.

In a way, I was glad that the bridle was Western, a simple split-ear one with no noseband. It made my job easier. When I slipped the bit into his mouth, Doc mouthed it with disdain.

_'Is this thing necessary?'_

_'Unfortunately, yes. Well, for the moment, anyway. I'll buy you a bitless bridle or something when we get out of here.'_ I finished fastening the bridle strap. _'Now, we'll go out to the arena.'_

_'Arena? I saw that thing before I came to this stall. It's hardly big enough to breathe.'_

I sighed._ 'Well, I guess it's the best we're gonna get. We just won't try anything fancy.'_

_'Unless...' _Doc had a look in his eye that I recognized. '_We didn't try it in the ring.'_

_'We'll see when we get out there.'_ I was cautious. I opened the door and Doc followed me out. _'Now, where's this 'ring?''_

_'Down here,_' Doc said and started walking.

I followed him, hanging on to the split reins so they wouldn't trip him. And so there'd be some sense of normalcy to anyone watching. Like the stable owner, who I wasn't really prepared to have another encounter with.

"And he's walking in front of you? You can't let him get away with that! You must _punish_ him!"Before I could stop her, she reached out and jerked on the reins _hard_, slamming the bit against Doc's mouth.

Doc's head shot up, and he backed up, trying to escape the stable owner's hard hand.

I was about to shout at the woman, but I was frozen and the words stuck in my throat. I had to force them out, and they came out too softly for her to hear. Not that she would care. I felt a rush of frustration; I was powerless to do anything.

Except run away.

I started to back up. '_Hey Doc? Let's take a back way to the ring.'_

_'Good idea, kid. I don't like the way this is panning out.'_ He snorted and mouthed the bit.

Before I could turn to go, the stable owner turned to me. "Now, as for you, young lady, you need to take control! Where are you going to go in life if you let even dumb animals walk all over you? Use you as a doormat!"

I wanted to feel insulted on Doc's part. I wanted to feel confident enough that the manager's sharp words wouldn't find their target. I really wanted to. But I only felt numb. I tried to fake being unruffled, to joke.

_'S-She's using me as a doormat. Does that mean she's the dumb animal?_' Under the circumstances, it was a weak joke, and Doc was not fooled for a minute.

_'Just walk away, kid. Do it now.'_

I started to protest, but he cut me off.

_'Don't worry about her. Walk away.'_

That wasn't normally something I would do with an adult. It was disrespectful and rude. But I was near breaking point, and could not hold back the tears for much longer. If I did cry, I felt it would only make the situation worse. And the manager was still yelling at me.

_'Better yet, here._' Doc nudged me gently with his nose, pushing me towards his side. _'Mount up.'_

Hands shaking so badly that I could hardly grab the stirrup, I shoved my boot into the iron and pulled myself up.

As soon as I had gained the off side stirrup, Doc whirled and cantered back down the stable aisle. I held the reins loosely, clutching his mane and gripping with my legs for all I was worth, fighting tears all the way.

Doc kept cantering until we were well out of sight of the stables, then he dropped down to a trot, then a walk. He halted under a stand of trees. Only then did I let the tears fall.

_'I'm sorry, I'm sorry,'_ I gasped. _'I should have said something, should have done something...'_

Doc sighed. _'Kid, you've gotta learn that you're not responsible for the behavior of other people.'_

_'I know-'_ I tried to say, but Doc once again cut me off.

_'In that situation you did the only thing you could do-get out. Normally, it would've been better to stay and stand up to the woman, but in this case...'_ He eyed me on his back, sitting quietly though tears still rolled down my cheeks. _'We did the right thing.'_

I nodded weakly and sniffed. I was glad he hadn't asked me to speak. If I had tried I would have been unintelligible, anyway. I always stumbled over my words when I was tense.

_'Hey, easy now, kid,_' he said, trying to calm my fractured sobbing.

I tried to relax the muscles in my stomach that caused the frantic, jerking gasps, and succeeded for a moment. Then I lost concentration and reverted back to the same pattern.

Doc sighed again. _'We'll take a walk around, then we should probably head back.'_

_'No, t-that's okay. My p-parents won't be b-back to get me until around f-four-thirty.'_ I glanced down at my watch. _'It's only about t-three now.'_

_'Even so, our departure wasn't exactly the most polite. You'll have to apologize to the manager.'_

_'I will?'_

_'Just tell her that you had to hurry so that you'd have time to see her other horses. It's not a lie; you still have to ride Lizzie before everything's settled.'_

_'Oh yeah.'_ I sniffed. I had forgotten about that.

But something else was still on my mind. I dropped my head. _'How can I go back, and face her?'_

Doc sighed. _'I'm not gonna lie to you, kid. It's gonna be hard.'_

I nodded.

_'We'll deal with that as it comes.'_ He started walking. I relaxed and went with the rocking motion. Doc found a bridle trail and started along it so we'd have a clear path back.

_'You're not a bad rider, you know that?'_

_'Thanks,_' I said quietly. His praise meant a lot to me, but I knew I wouldn't admit it.

_'By the way, I never did catch your name.'_

'_Oh._' I paused. _' Amanda.'_

…...

I feel like her mother and father are a bit...I dunno, their characters are a bit dated. But whatever. They're supposed to be annoying characters, and annoying characters are my Plus I have problems with Amanda's age. I hope she sounds her age. Maybe not. (shrugs) Whatever. Other than that, this might possibly be my favorite chapter so far.

Oh, and if you need to brush up on horse lingo, barrel=the horse's middle...if you don't get anything else of the horse lingo that I use, tell me and I'll define it next time.:)

Review please! I'll give you virtual cookies...they're hot from the oven...^_^


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